Tip Tuesday: Just drink the darn water now will ya?

OK so you guys, I am starting with a simple and quick tip… and you need NOTHING but your kitchen sink to start doing it… so NO EXCUSES.

I know you all know that water is hugely important for our health… but I’m guessing you might not know JUST how important it is. I really geek out on stuff like this, so bare with me… 😉

Our bodies are made up of roughly 75% water and our blood is about 90% water. We literally NEED water… not just to stay healthy and/or lose weight … we need it to just freakin’ survive. While we can live a few days without water, our bodies and cells quickly deteriorate without hydration. Just think of your household plants, if you don’t water them on a regular basis, they wilt and die… not to go too dark on you all but we are very similar to plants you guys.

Sadly, research has found that most of the human population walks around in a state of mild to serious dehydration… without even knowing it. Did you know that when you begin to feel thirsty… it’s already too late? Feeling thirsty is a serious signal that your body is already dehydrated (YIKES).

So, I want you all to stop what you’re doing right now and ask yourself if you have any of these symptoms… right now in this moment:

• Feeling Thirsty
• Dry Mouth
• Feeling tired or having low energy
• Being able to count on one hand the number o times you peed today
• Low volume or bright colored pee
• Headaches
• Feeling lightheaded/nauseous
• Dry Skin/Dark eye circles

ALL of these are signs of Mild to MODERATE Dehydration. I know sitting here writing this, I have at least 4 of those symptoms and I am usually on my Hydration A-GAME…. so please excuse me while I go chug some water…

OK so we know what happens when we don’t drink water (think of your sad wilted neglected house plant), but what are the benefits of drinking more water? Here are my top 7 benefits of drinking more water… but I could go on and on with this list 😉

1. Feeling better OVERALL. Again, think of your houseplants and how perky and green they get when they are properly watered. We are all pretty much like plants. When we’re well watered we are perky and full of life. Don’t be the sad neglected plant….
2. Weight loss. Yes, water plays a MAJOR role in weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight. Being well hydrated decreases food cravings, ramps up our metabolism, and helps keep our digestive system in flow. It is literally one of the simplest and MOST helpful things you can if you are trying to lose weight or improve your health. Drinking a full glass of water 30 mins before a meal is also a great tip if you’re trying to lose excess weight.
3. Increased immune system functioning. We all need this, especially right now you guys. Anything and everything we can do to ramp up our immune systems we should be doing. SO take another sip of your water… now. Thank you.
4. Be HAPPIER. Again, we all need this right about now. Sign me up for ALL the Happiness Hacks. Like the rest of our bodies, our brains are made up of 75% water. When we’re not properly hydrated our brain is forced to operate on less fuel and is therefore working harder and being less efficient. This can manifest in feeling drained, moody, overwhelmed, confused and cranky. I think we have enough going on that can make us feel that way, so lets all do ourselves a favor and DRINK UP.
5. And while we’re talking about the brain… drinking more water (8-10 cups a day) can increase our cognitive abilities by as much as 30%!! The science behind this is that the more water your brain has, the more oxygen it can get, which in turn keeps it working at its optimal capacity.
6. Perform better physically – The logic is simple on this one – when we’re dehydrated our muscles fatigue more quickly, and our electrolytes can get totally thrown out of whack resulting in dizziness and major fatigue. Muscle tone and muscle cell turnover rely on proper hydration, so if you’re working out you better be hydrating my friends.
7. Glowing and Youthful Skin. YUP, another great benefit of making sure we stay well hydrated is increased skin elasticity, a youthful glow and smoother texture. Water plays a huge role in cell turnover (getting rid of the old dead cells clogging our pores), and in keeping our cells nice and firm (yes please).

OK so now that you know some of the benefits, how do you go about drinking more water throughout your day? I’ve got you friends.

1. Find a water bottle that feels good to you. This may sound bizarre but I can’t tell you enough how much of a game changer it is. If you like your water cold, invest in a big Yeti or Hydroflask. If you like it room temperature, a simple 28 oz shaker bottle will do. Find one that feels good to you.
2. Start your day with a big glass of water. Before your coffee or tea. Get up and drink your water. Extra credit if you start your day with warm lemon water – or even warm lemon water with some Apple Cider Vinegar. BUT just start your day with water. This simple trick will set you up to crave water more throughout the day, I assure you. If you don’t do this, you will constantly be trying to catch up to meet your water goal that day. If you do this, getting to your water goal will be a piece of cake.
3. Add some flavor if you need to! Avoid the chemical crap but adding in some natural flavor drink mixes is totally acceptable if you’re bored of plain old water. These Cherry Lime packs are my favorites.

SO with all that said… I promise this is one tip that you can ALL do easily… even if you have to pee every 5 mins to start (we’re all home, what else do we have to do?) Aim for half your body weight in ounces MINIMUM. It is a simple thing to do that has exponentially positive effects on your health.

And if you need some inspiration to start drinking – print this out and hang it in your kitchen. SO MANY BENEFITS YOU GUYS. You can do it.

Bottoms up friends.